The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-06-04
LIonon TAXAlION.


LIQUOR TAXATION,
Governor Hlps MiStakon Ground on His
Veto Of the YeddSr Bill,
EqS York tribune,
Governor Hill's chief objection to the
Ysdder bin consists In the assertion that
the taxation 1t proposes Is not uniform,
To support this objection the Governor
states that the liquor taxation Of all other
States ia uniform, That the readers Of
the Tribune may be enabled tosee where
the truth lies We give here the actual
facts concerning the,,exlstipg liquor laws Of
a number Of States, including those cited
bv Governor Hill in his veto,
Arkansas has q State tag OF $500, 9 coup'
" tax Of $500 and q local option for the
counties, Wherever there Is local option
uniformity Ia ohyiously non existent.
Colorado gives the control Of the liquor
traffic to the boards Of trustees and com.
mon Counc!la In incorporated towns and
Citieg, and 10 county commissioners in the
rural districts. Theaa FIX licenses for re-
tail trade. The State alone grants whole
sale licenses, Clearly there Ia no uniform
lily here.
In Connecticut llCeusea arc graded as
follows; In towns Of less than 5000 popu.
istion, 500 for all kinds Of liquors and
$50 for beer only; In other towns and Ct'
lies, 500 10 $50 for all kinda OF liquors.
lhe county commissioner regulate license
lees in each county and In towna Of over
5000 they arc 5000 for tho sale Of all kinds
Of LIQUOR and $l90 for bseri except in
Middlesex county, where tho fees are $500
for all kinda Of liquors and $500 Tor beer
only, There Is no uniformity here.
Florida has local option under the new
constitution, and no uniformity.
Georgia hRB local option and special
leaIslatfon Tor counties, but no unitormity.
Illinois Is one Of the States cited by the
Governor. The Harper hIgh.liCeuse law
prevails there. II ixes the minimum
State tax at $500, and gives local authors
ties the right to raise the tag at discretion,
Thus, while q saloon in Chicago may be
taxed only $500, Ruotherin Peoria may be
taxed s. 1000 or any amount up to prohi'
bition. This Is one Of the State liquor tax
sysssms quoted by Governor Hill 90 an
instance ot,uniIormity.
Massachusetts bEB ak grades Of licenses
ranging aO follows: ~ from 500 to 81 900;
t2I from $50t % $685. t3) from $50 to $3.50;
l(4) from $50 to $500; (6l from $50 to $500;
(6j q ~druggist's liCense ot$l. Besides this
any city or town may have local option by
a malority vote. The uniformity oil this
scheme OF taxation Is not conspicuous. A
high license bill with g minimum Of $500
Ia now before the Legislature.
Michigan Ia another Of the States cited
by the Governor. It has o State tax OF
$500 for all kinds OF liquors and 800 for
beer, This State tax Ia, the Governor says,
uniform but what no omitted to state 10
that besides the State tax there Ia author
ity for county and municipal officers TO
increase the fees, and that this local COZ.
troll of the liquor traffic has the effect Of
completely upsetting the uniformity OF the
imp0st.
Texas is another State referred 10 by
Governor Hill. 1t has q State tax or
llcense Of $3.50; bnt II also has local license
control by which the tax may BIZ increased
to prohibition. Thus 1t appears that Gov.
ernor Hill has not told the whole truth
In regard to the four States he cites; but
that no has garhled the facts and by a dia.
ingenious suppression endeavored to pro.
duCe o misleading and fallaCiOus impres.
sion. In Texas elso land this the Cover.
nor forgot to meRtion) the whole Of the
State liquor tax Is covered into the State
treasury, 40 in the Vedder bill.
Minnesota does not bear out the Exc
cutive diCtum about the uniformity Of
liquor taxation. The new law fixes the
tax at 81, 600 for Cities Of 10000 and over
(st. PAul and M%inneapolis) and at $500 for
other places. This Is tho hRals Of popula.
ton, which the Governor Affects 10 think
unjust and unprecedented in tho Vedder
bill. Minnesota also has local option aud
ID therefore 6oubly excluded from the list
OF uniform" States.
In Mississippi there exiats local option
and licenses ranging from 500 to 81, 600,
Missouri haa the Downing High-L!-
CenBe Law and local option. The saloon
tax Ia from 9275 to 5000.
Nebraska has high license and local
option without uniformity.
North Carolina has LEGAL option and
much special county legislation which Ia
incompatible with uniformity.
S0hio hiss the Dow law, which impogeu o
tax OF 5000 for liquor and 500 for beer,
and gives authority 10 local corporations
10 raise tho teeg.
South Carolina has State tax Of 500
and as much moro Hs the town authorities
may impose, which does not produce uni.
iormity.
Virginia has no State tax, bu! a general
local option law.
West Virginia puts the control Of the
saloons largely into the hands Of the
county Courtp, and has local option too,
With high license.
Pennsylvania has Just enacted q graded
license bill resembling the Vedder bill in
many particulars. II graduates the tax In
cities and yillsges according TO populR-
lion, thus violating Governor Hills peCu.
lISr liquor taxation ethics.
Wisconsin has granted licences on tho
aamO principle and local option.
The result Of the inquiry into the actual
facts OF liquor taxation in other States Of
the Union thus conGluaively proves that
Governor Hlll'a objection to the vedder
bill on the ground Of want Of uniformity